Family IRIDACEAE
Genus Hesperantha
Species coccinea
SA Plant Number
Basionym Hesperantha coccinea

Hesperantha coccinea [=Schizostylis] is a very hardy, mostly evergreen, bulbous plant with a fan of bright-green, strap-like leaves.

It bears showy spikes of large, star-shaped flowers that cluster at the tips of slender stems from December to April. The colors vary from bright-scarlet to soft, pale pink.

It attracts insects to the garden and is a butterfly host plant. The flowers are pollinated by the Mountain Pride Butterfly.

If left for a few years, it forms large clumps and is a sight to behold. Seeing them flowering en masse along streams in the foothills of the Drakensberg is amazing. It makes a good cut flower and a beautiful garden plant, both in wet conditions and in a normally irrigated garden.

Plant in compost-rich soil in wet areas in full sun or light shade.

Size: 30 to 60cm

Insects: It attracts insects to the garden

Butterfly host: It is a butterfly host plant .

Cut flower: It makes a good cut flower and a beautiful garden plant, both in wet conditions and in a normally irrigated garden.

Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal, Free State, Eastern. Cape

Natural Habitat Along rivers and streams  

Growth Rate: Moderate, Evergreen or Deciduous: Evergreen, Evergreen or Deciduous: Semi-Deciduous, Hardiness - Frost: Frost Hardy, Plant Type: Bulbs and Rhizomes, Plant Type: Groundcovers and Perennials, Plant Type: Water Plants, Position: Semi-shade, Soil: Loamy - Compost rich Soil, Garden Uses: Butterfly Host, Garden Uses: Container Plant, Garden Uses: Cut Flower, Garden Uses: Damp areas, Garden Uses: Local to Gauteng, Garden Uses: Long Flowering, Garden Uses: Small Gardens, Hardiness - Drought: Needs Watering, Flower colour: Pink shades, Flower colour: Red shades, Garden type: River-side and Stream-side Gardens, Garden type: Wildlife Garden,

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